PARLIAMENTARIANS SEMINAR ON IMPLEMENTING PROGRAMME OF ACTION ADOPTED AT 2001 UN

CONFERENCE ON ILLICIT TRADE IN SMALL ARMS AND LIGHT WEAPONS IN ALL ITS ASPECTS

3-5 May, San José, Costa Rica

(Received from a UN Information Officer; delayed in transmission.)

The United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UN-LiREC) and the Swedish Fellowship of Reconciliation (SWEFOR) organized a seminar on firearms issues for members of Central American parliaments at the University for Peace in Costa Rica, on 3-5 May 2002.  The seminar took place with the support of the Swedish International Development Agency.  Its main objectives were:

-- To assist Latin American and Caribbean States in implementing the Programme of Action adopted at the 2001 United Nations Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects (particularly part II, articles 28 and 40, and part III, article 6).

-- To provide a platform for debate on an agenda for the Third Inter-Parliamentary Meeting on firearms issues, expected to be held in September 2002 in Madrid, Spain.

The following themes were identified for presentation to the meeting in Madrid:

Approval and harmonization of national firearm laws

-- Identification of priorities for formal approval and harmonization of national laws on firearms, ammunition and explosives;

Elaboration of a White Book of national legislation on firearms.

Identification of subregional priorities

-- Reporting on the creation of special commissions of parliamentarians;

-- Basic principles for the creation of national committees;

-- The development of a framework agreement on firearms and education.

Defining parliamentary initiatives

-- Necessary reform to firearms laws;

-- Legislation on producers and exporters of firearms;

-- The role of subregional parliamentary institutions and national parliaments.

The 2001 Programme of Action:  Central American initiatives

-- The importance of education and a Culture of Peace;

-- Rethinking disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programmes, peace-building and post-conflict strategies;

-- Advocacy and the press;

-- Support from development agencies.

Participants included 46 parliamentarians from the region, as well as from Sweden and Spain.  Also attending were representatives from subregional parliamentary institutions, government officials, officials from international organizations and development agencies, as well as experts and representatives of civil society.

UN-LiREC and SWEFOR Sign Agreement

The gathering also provided an opportunity for the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between UN-LiREC and SWEFOR, which defines a legal framework for future joint activities related to firearms and ammunition.

For further information please contact:  Michael F. Cassandra, Chief, Monitoring, Database and Information Branch, Department of Disarmament Affairs, United Nations, New York, New York 10017.  Tel: 212-963-7714, Fax: 212-963-1121, e-mail: cassandra@un.org.

* *** *